Process for the reduction of ores.



WITNESSES;

i FiM WJKOBHLBR. PROCESS FOR THE REDUCTION OF ORES;

APPLICATION FILED AUGL'Z, 1905.

PATENTED JUNE 26,1906

0% ATTORNHS.

UNITED srarns earns r orrion;

'WILLIA BI KO EHLEH. O F OIIIIVE LAND, OHIO.

PROCESS FOR THE REDUCTION OF ORES.

I-IN'O. 824,663. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented'June 26 & Application filed ugu 4.1905. Serial No. 272,722.

1'0 (1% whom it may concern/.- i paratus; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Be it known that I, WILLIAM KoEnLER, a the same on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at-Oleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Proc esses for the Reduction of Ores; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new process for the treatment of refractory or rebellious ores in order to bring them into such a condition that they may be easily worked according to well-known methods.

The object of this invention is to provide a cheaper and more economical method for securing the complete chlorination of ore than is now possible under the present methods of treating ores. In carrying out my process the material or ore is subjected at a suitable temperature, which will vary according to the ore under treatment, to the action of a halogenacid gas in an anhydrous condition, or in case of very refractory ore the ore is subjected to the action of a halogen-acid gas in an anhydrous condition in the presence of nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition.

In carrying out my process I prefer to use hydrochloric-acid gas, owing to its comparative cheapness, and therefore I subject the material or ore which is to be treated to the action. of anhydrous hydrochloric-acid gas or to a mixture of anhydrous hydrochloric-acid gas and nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition. To secure the proper working of my process, the ore must be at a suitable temperature during the working, and this temperature will vary accordingto the ore which is being treated. In some mstances the heat of combination will be sufficient to bring about decomposition of the material, and in such cases the application of external heat would be unnecessary, and in other instances the heat of combination will not be sufficient to carry out the reaction, and it will be necessary, therefore, to apply external heat.

The process can be carried out in any suitable metallurgical furnace or similar apparaf :tllS.- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 5 5 shows a central sectional view of such an api In the drawings, 1 represents a cylinder which is rotatably mounted in a frame 2. The cylinder 1 is closed at one end by the side of the frame and at its other end is provided with a head 3, formed integral with the said cylinder; Around the cylinder is arwhich are to heat the cylinder. The cylinder 1 is preferably provided with a lining 5, of cement or similar material, in order to protect the cylinder from the action of the gases used in carrying out the process. On the exterior surface of the cylinder are formed bearingrings 6, which are arranged to rest on the drums 7, secured on a shaft 8, mounted in suitable supports 9. On one end of the shaft 8 is arranged a whey 10.

ring 11, which is arranged to mesh with a gear-wheel 12, secured on the shaft 8. The cylinder 1 is preferably mounted so that the axis thereof inclines toward the front end thereof. A hop er 14 for holding1 the material to be treate is arranged at t of the drum or cylinder, andthe outlet of the hopper communicates with the interior of the drum through an opening 17, formed in the to permit the escape of the spent gases, and this fine is preferably arranged to extezi through the hopper, so that the heat from vided for the escape of the materialv after it has been treated. The chamber 4 is provided with an inlet-pipe 21 and-an outletpipe 22. Gas-reservoirs 23 and 24 are arranged in proximity to the cylinder 1 and are connected therewith by means of valved In carrying out my process with an appa- .acid g'as,,is thenlo ened,and the hydrochloric-acid gas is a ranged a chamber 4 for receiving the gases On the exterior surface of the cy inder 1 is formed a toothed e rear end head of the drum. A fiue-pipe 19'is ar-- 'ranged at the rear end of the drum in order the escaping gases will be imparted to the material in the hopper. An outlet 20 is propipes 25 and 26, respectively, and a nozzle 27 ratus such as is shown in the drawings the ICC. material or ore to be treated is first reduced per 14. The cylinder is then rotated,

filled with anhydrous hydrochloricowed toienter the cylin- 1 m agent introduced into the chamber 4, surrounding the cylinder, through the pipe 21.

The continuous rotation of the cylinder will bring all particles of the ore into conta'ct with the anhydrous hydrochloric-acid gas and by the time the ore has reached the outlet at the front end of the cylinder it will be -cornpletely chlorinated. The chlorinated prodnot is then treated in any suitable manner to recover the metal and to regain all other valuable products contained therein. The spent gases will ass thro h the fine and can be conducte I away an disposed of as desired. All oxids and carbonates will be completely chlorinated by subjecting them inthis manner to the action of hydrochloricacid gas in an anhydrous condition. It will, however, be advantageous, in treating most sulfid, selenid, telurid, and arsehid ores herein referred to collectively as ores containing a inetal'and a metalloid, to admit to the cylinder While the said ores are treated a quantity of nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition; and therefore when such ores areb'eing treated while the hydrochloric acid is being admitted to the cylinder the valve in the pipe 2-6, which communicates with the reservoir 24, which has been previously filled with nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition, is also opened and both gases are admitted to the cylinder at the same time. The nitric acid gas and the hydrochloric acid gas Will combine and the reaction 'Will give nitroxyl chlorid and chlorin gas just being liberatedthat is, in a nascent condition, and therefore in condition to act most powerfully.

What I claim is e 1. The process of treating ores which consists in subjecting thei'n to the action of a halogen-acid gas in presence of an oxidizing agent. i

2. The process of treating ores which consists in subjecting them to the action ofa halogen acid gas in presence of a gaseous oX-idizing agent.

3. The process of treating ores which consists in subjecting them to the action of gaseons hydrochloric acid in presence of an 'oXidizin agent.

4. he process of treating ores 'which consists in subjecting them to the action of a gaseous mixture containing hydrochloric acid and an oxidizing agent.

5. The process of treating 'ores consisting in subjecting the ores to the action of a halo gen-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in a gaseous condition.

6. The process of treating ores consisting in subjecting the ores to the action of a halogen-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous co'ndition.

eaaeca 7. The process of tread? ores consisting in sub'ectin the ores While eated to the ac tion oi 9. ha ogen-acid gas in thepresence of nitric acid in a gaseous condition. I 8, The process of treating ores consisting in sub'ectin the ores Whil'e heated to the action 0 a ha ogen-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid inv an anhydrous gaseous condition.

9. Theprocess of treating ores consisting in subjecting the ores to the action of an anhydrous halogen-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in a gaseous condition.

10. The process of treating ones consisting in subjecting the ores to the action of an an hydrous halogen-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition.

11. The process of treating ores consisting in sub'ecting the oreswhile heated to the action 0 an anhydrous halogen-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in a gaseous condition.

12. The process of treating ores consisting in subfeoting the ores While heated to the ac tion 0% an anhydrous halogen-acid as in the presence of nitric acid in an anhy rous gaseous condition. Y

. 13. The process of treating ores consisting in subjecting-the ores to the action of hydrochloric-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in a gaseous condition.

14. The process of treating ores consisting in subjecting the ores to the action of hydrochloric-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition.

15. The process of treating ores consisting in subfecting the ores While heated to the action 0 hydrochloric acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in a gaseous condition.

16. The process of treating ores consisting insubijec'ting the-ores while heated to the action 0- hydrochloric-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition.

17. The process of treating oresconsisting in subjlilacting the ores to the action of anhyydroc'hloricncid gas in the presence drone of nitric acid i-n'a gaseous condition.

18. The process of treating'ores'consisting in subjecting the ores to the action of anhydrous hydrochloric-acid: as in the presence of nitric acid in an' -anh d rous gaseous condition.

19. The procehs of treating ores consisting in subjecting the ores while heated to the action of anhydrous hydroohloricacid gas in the presence of nitric acid a gaseous 'condition.

20. The process of treating ores consisting. 'in subjecting the ores While heated to the action of anhydrous hydrochloric-acid gas in the presence of nitric acid in an anhydrous gaseous condition.

21:. The, rocess of tre'ating'ores'contahntng a metal an a metalloid Wlncn consists in subjecting the dry ore to the action of a halogen- I which consists in, subject the-=-dry ore to acid gas." the action of a helogenw cl gas in presence 22. The process of treatin ores containing of an oxidizing agent. I a metal and a metalloid Whic consists in sub- In testimony whereof I sign the foregoing 5 jecting the dry ore to the action of a. halogenspecification in the presence of two Witnesses. 15

acid gas in presence of an oxidizing a ent. WILLIAM KOEHLER 23. The process of treating su d ores which consists in subjecting the dry ore to Witnesses:

the action of a halogen-acid as. VICTOR C. LYNCH, 1o 24. The process of treatlng sulfid ores N.-L. MCDONNELL. 

